Confirmed: 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee Diesel to Debut in Detroit

Brand CEO Confirms Model for First Major Show of 2013

Jeep brand president and CEO Mike Manley told WardsAuto that the long-awaited 50-state Jeep Grand Cherokee diesel will be shown at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show in January and will go on sale shortly thereafter as a 2014 model. Powered by a 3.0-liter V-6 sourced from Italy’s VM Motori (the engine is already offered European models), the oil-burning 2014 Grand Cherokee will reportedly carry the 'EcoDiesel' badge and be fitted with a fluid catalyst system to comply with U.S. emissions standards.

Manley said that customers of Jeep's previously-sold diesel models, including the Liberty, are very happy with their vehicles, though they never sold in large numbers. The previous Grand Cherokee and Liberty CRD models were not offered in California and other states that adopted California emissions standards.

Although Manley did not explicitly say a diesel version of the Wrangler was coming, he did say that improving fuel economy without impacting capability on the brand's signature model was a big priority and that the generous torque offered by the diesel would make it a promising candidate for the Wrangler.

The other highly-anticipated Jeep debut scheduled for Detroit is the replacement for the Liberty midsize SUV. While many Jeep enthusiasts anticipate the new model could see the revival of the Cherokee nameplate in the U.S. (the Liberty is sold as the Cherokee in Europe), Manley only said "that is the speculation," saying the name will be revealed at its official debut.